Tuesday, 3 November 2015

Reps Urge FG To Offset Entitlements Of Fallen Soldiers

The House of Representatives on Tuesday, November 3, asked the Nigerian armed forces to pay fallen heroes and military personnel involved in the fight against insurgents their entitlements and benefits.

The House made the resolution to relieve the families of the deceased personnel, following a motion standing in the name of Johnson Agbonayinma (PDP-Edo State).Agbonayinma observed that: “It is a standard practice for entitlements to be paid to the next of job of any soldier who had died in the line of duty of protecting the integrity of the nation.”

He made reference to a late soldier, Sergeant Moses Osarenkhoe who was posted to the Armed Forces Special Force Battalion “Operation Zaman Lafiya” in Maiduguri.

Osarenkhoe died in the course of fighting Boko Haram in the north eastern region.

The lawmaker expressed regret stating that: “Many months after the death a of these heroes, no payment of entitlements have been paid to their families, thereby leaving their spouse’s and children in desperate situations without any form of livelihood.”

He added that this would weaken the morale and willingness of the military officers and discouraged them from paying the ultimate price for the country.

The motion was unanimously supported by all the lawmakers.

The House therefore called on the “armed forces and other relevant authorities to as a matter of urgency pay all entitlements/benefits of deceased personnel who died in active service.”

The lawmakers also asked the military to create a trust fund to cater for the education of children of deceased service personnel.